Villa Azul

My overall stay at Villa Azul was excellent. I went with a group of 16. The rooms were spacious and cool. Much of the property is outside, including the kitchens, common areas and two bathrooms attached to the master. The residence was clean and. There are three pools, with the largest on being on the common level. We had a chef everyday, LuLu. We really enjoyed her. We had a few bumps, but it was all easily rectified and communicated. The other staff, including Paco (AKA Francisco) were all lovely and took great care of us. We decided on two meals daily. For 16 guests, the initial cost to stock was pricey but made sense for our group size. We asked Lulu to stick to a budget, and she was happy to do so after we discussed. Come with more cash than you would assume you need. Ubers were accessible, but Villa Azul is up a mountain, so call Ubers with 15-minute buffers, just in case. Cabs were around on some days. Being so open, expect some insects and lizards on property. The views of the bay were so amazing, and the sunsets were epic. We saw whales from the property Things we wished we knew before going: * Ask for more water and ice before arriving (We used Costco, no problem). The more the better * There are five levels to this property - lots of stairs * Lizards, insects and a big iguana were around - we embraced it! * Be very specific with food/beverage budget. Otherwise, shop on your own * Tipping is essential for the staff. 10% of total cost is appropriate * Uber Eats and other couriers do deliver to the property, including Starbucks * Laundry is not automatic but just ask housekeeping staff and they will do it for 200 pesos (plus we tipped). We would leave cash on top of hamper when we wanted laundry done after the first day we verbally asked * There are no built-in speakers. They provided two small pill speakers but we also brought our own * The staff is around during the day but you do not have them at night. They do not stay on premise over night * You can walk to a public spot on beach within 20 minutes, which also has a convenience store nearby

The views are spectacular! The house was amazing and well maintained. The staff took great care of everything and chef Carlo and assistant Alie could not have been more accommodating. The food was truly delicious. They were friendly and kind. The service was great. Carlo made wonderful suggestions for fresh seafood dishes. The presentation of food was beautiful. The overall experience was something we will be talking about for years to come!

Wow - this Villa will not disappoint!!! Beautiful spacious bedrooms, wonderful lounge and pool area with swim up bar. Fantastic views with beautiful sunsets every night. Bonus was watching the whales in Banderas Bay daily. Our group of 15 people were in awe of the Villa, and the view. The staff definitely help make this place special. Thanks Estela, Paulina, Carlo, Alejandra & Pablo, a great team, always wanting to make your stay as nice as possible. See you again Villa Azul!